Muzzle cover for guns



Jan. 8, 1929. 1;698,646

. N. E. METHLIN MUZZLE COVER FOR GUNS Filed Oct. 15, 1927 Fig.1.

"1, mm, .Fl 4) I l ml, 1 m

Patented Jan. 8,

NICOLAS EMILIEN ME'IHLIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 SCHNEIDER-8a c1151.;

PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK coMPanY or rnANoE.

MUZZLE. oovnn non Guns.

Application filed October 15, 1927 s lute. 226,356, andin France-December 1a, 1926. 1

The present invention relates to a muzzle cover more particularly applicable to guns mounted on board submersible or other craft, such as torpedo boats, in which the chase .is most frequently, when thefgun is not in action, withdrawn into a lowered position which is horizontal or approaching the horizontal, the bore of the gun barrel being-then, even when it is not the case of a ship intended to navigate under water,'out of reach of the sea water.

The invention consists' essentially in a closing member mounted in a fixed position and connected toa mechanism, the movements of: which for closing the gunand openlng thelatter are controlled by the lowering movements of the gun into a determined position and the upward movements of the gun starting from this same position. 3

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example inthe accompanying drawing. v

Fig. l'is a sectional elevation of a muzzle cover constructed according to the invention and mounted for example upon the resisting hull of a'submersible craft, the parts of the device being shown in the position they occupy until the moment when the chase, during its lowering movement, acts upon it in order to bring the closing member into the position of closure.

Fig. 2 is a si. ilar section. showing the members moved into this'position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation viewed from the left in Fig. 2 with the chase of the gun shown in dot and dash lines. v Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views corresponding to 7 Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and illustratea modification.

The muzzle cover or closing member-proper A is carried by a movable support B, which forms a stop by means of a boss 6 of suitable profile as in theexample shown in Figs. 1 to 3, or by a roller Z2 as in the example shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, for the chase when the latter reaches a determined position near the'lowered or withdrawn position. The closing member. support B, to which the closing member proper A may be rigidlysecured orin which it may take a limited longitudinal displacement, is subjected to the action ofa spring C which tends constantly to hold the closing memberin the position it occupies when the muzzle is opened for raising the gun barrel.

" In the example shown in Figs. 1: to 3, the

closingmember proper is rigidly secured I the closingmember support B, which :is pivlifting spring C- In practice the spring 0 will becovered by a reversed socket C pi'ovlded .W'ltll a progec ting pin 6 movable in a}, slot (Z, wh1ch limits the lifting movement, of

the'closing member-support B which i r i I V vided with a. corresponding boss b adapted to engagea ing. or boss (Z provided on thesupport, D whereby pivotal movement of said I support away from closing position is positively limited. p s When the members are in the'position of origin shown in Fig. 1, if the chaseE of the gun, barrel in the movement of withdrawal comes into contact with the boss 6, which it self bears upon the socket .C it lowers, byjthe continuation of this downward movement-, theclosmgmember support Bwhich pivotsabout the shaft D and thusat the end of the 5 travel of the chase,' presses thepackingaof face of the gunbarrel. Inversely whenthechase E is raised,the spring C, through the medium of the socket the closing member proper against the front- C raises the closingmember supportB- A and returns it from the position, showngin Figs. 2and 3into that shown in Fig. 11.

In the example shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the 3 closing member support B is rigid with the rod B of the piston B upon which acts-the lifting spring C, which bears at one end upon the end ofth'e fixed support D. The closing member A is guided by a rod A in the sup, port B,,in'which this rod is adapted to move rigid with the fixed support D.

' longitudinally, and by arollerA forming a slider in a slideway D formed in anarnfl)? ers the support B compressing the spring 0 and, as the roller A duringthe downward P o. move inthe slideway D it displaces by; means of the rod A the closing member f 1; whichit carries soas tobring the joint pack p 1 ing a, at the end of the disappearing move f I V movement of the support D is compelled to" ment into contact with the front face'fof the chase,as shown in Fig. 5. V 1

i Y en, on the other hand, the chase E. is I it raised, thespring C'raises 'the arrangement 1 B B -B and carries with it in this lifting movement, the arrangement A-AP-A".

the closing member proper into the position shown in Flg. 4.

The automatic device described, which ensures the automatic closure of the muzzle, presents in addition the advantage of provoking its automatic opening for firing, and of thus making it impossible to forget to remove the muzzle cover and avoiding the serious consequences (the bursting of a projectile in the bore of the gun barrel) which such an omission would cause. 7 r V j I claim: v

1. In combination, a fixed support, a'closure member for the muzzle of a gun'movabiy mounted on said support, resilient means carried by the support, and means having operative engagement with the resilient means and closure member for moving the latter to nonclosing position, the closure "member being' moved to closed position by movement of the:

her carried by the movable support and havgun in engagement with said las't-na-metd means. V I

2. Apparatus for closing the muzzle of a gun comprising a fixed support, a member movably mounted on said support, a closing member carried by the movably mounted member, and yielding means for normally maintaining the closing member in non-closing position, said movable member being adapted to be engaged by'the] gun whereby movement of the gun is effective to move the closing member to closing position;

3. In apparatus for closingtheniuzzle of a gun, a fixed support mounted adjacent the muzzle of the gun, a movable support carried by the fixed support, a closing member carried by the movable support and adapted to en gage the muzzle of the gun, and yielding means for moving said movable support and closing member to non-closingposition, said movable support being adapted to be actuated by the gun to move the closing member toclosing position. r

4. In apparatus of the class described,

fixed support, a member slidable in said support, yielding means carried by the support and having engagement with said slidable means, a closing member for the muzzle of the gun, andmeans for mounting said closing member, said last named means having engagement with said slidably mounted member and being positioned for engagement with the gun. I

5. Inapparatus .of'the olass described, a fixed support mounted adjacent the muzzle of the gun, resilient means carried byrsaid support, a member having telescopic engagement with said support and resilient means, a movable support carried by the fixed support and having a portion adapted to engage the tele scoping member, and a closing member carried by the movable support for engaging and closing the muzzle of the gun, said closing member being adapted to be moved by said resilient means to non-closing position and also being adapted to be moved to closing posit-ion by movement of the gun in engagcment with said movable support.

6. In apparatus ofthe class described, a fixed support, a movable support operatively Connected to the fixed support, a closing meming a portion adapted to be engaged by a gun,

' and resilient means formoving the closing tion, said first named means being adapted for engagement with the gun whereby the gun is effective to move the closing member to closing position. I

8. In combination with a gun, a closing member for the muzzle of the gun, means mov- V ably mounting said closing member, and yieldmg means adapted forengagement with the mounting means whereby the closing member is movedto non-closing position, said gun being adapted to engage the mounting means whereby the closing member is moved into en gagement with the muzzle of the gun.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

NICOLAS 'EMILIEN METI-ILIN. 

